Anchor



Feb.A 3, 1931. T. BI'R'KENMAIER filed Nov. 5,l 192e Patented Feb. 3, 1931 .truce THEODORJ BIRKENMAIER, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO lV. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI .ANCHOR Application filed November 5, 1928. Serial No. 317,271.

This invention relates to anchors, andL with regard to cert-ain more specific features to helical earth anchors and wrenches therefor.

Among the severa-l objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a stronger helical anchor (and wrench therefor) adapted to be driven home or retrieved by turning it with the wrench; and the provision of an anchor of the class described having no extraneous driving lugs or the like which are weak and diflicult to properly manufacture. @ther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, teatures of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodiments ot the invention,

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the anchor and wrench therefor in driving position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section showing the assembled anchor and wrench;

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary side elevation of the gripping end. of the wrench.

Fig. lis a cross section taken on line tiel Fig 2; and Y Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5,-5 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the s-everal views oi the drawings.

Referring .now more particularly to Fig. l, there is illust-rated at numeral l a body portion oli an anchor, including a helical web 5 and an upper head 3 adapted to be connected with an anchor rod 7. The helical web and certain other features have been previously disclosed by myself, but what is deemed to be new in this anchor is the connection between the head portion 3 and the rod 7.

It will be seen from l that the rod 7 comprises a length of tubing, part of which is round, as indicated at numeral 9 and part of which is square or polygonal as indicated at numeral ll, the square or polygonal portion being adapted. to slidably receive a wrench 13 'for applying torque.

lVit-h the contrivances heretofore used, lthe tube oi the wrench has been notched and made. to engage with a lug or the like on the an chor head or on the anchor' itself. Either a single notchand lug was used or a plurality. However, in either case provision was never made for surrounding and bracing the lower end of the tube 9. rlhe result has always been that when somewhat large twisting loads are applied to the tube, there is a tendency for the lower end to deform from its circular contour and once the deformation has started, it quickly proceeds to a complete breakdown oi' the tube. by way of tearing along a helical path. The maximum load which the tube was thus able to withstand was much less than its twisting strength.

In order to avoid the above dihcultics, I form tenons l5 at the lower end of the tube in castellated fashion as indicated in Fig. 3 which shows the tenons l5 and recessed portions 17 therebetween.

The head 3 olf-the anchor is hollow and adapted to receive the lower end ot the anchor rod 19. At the top of the head 3 and around the opening 21 is formed an annular recess 23. Tlhis recess is annularly spaced from the hole 2l. The bottom ofthe recess 23 is formed with downwardly extending recesses which accommodate said extending portions l5 of the wrench 7 (see Figs. 3, l and 5) In other words, the bottom of the annular recess 23 comprises a mortise which accommodates a tenen oi the wrench 7. The result is that the extension l5 fitting in the recesses 25 serves to Adrive the anchor' through theearth, while the annular recess 28 surrounds the endward solid region 27 of the wrench so as to support this region throughout. The result is that any tendency of the extensions 25 to strain the region 27 out of its circular shape is prevented. The failure, if any, must be by shearing olf of the extensions 15, rather than by having said extensions start incipient tearing into the region 27 at the corner portions 29; or having said extensions start an incipient bending at seid region 27.. After lOl@ the anchor is set the wrench may be withdrawn upwardly, and removed from over the anchor rod 19.

It will be noted from Figs. 3 and 5, that the edges of the extensions l5 are somewhat undercut. The edges of the depressions 25 are likewise treated so as to give a positive grip during driving. It is to be understood that the widest portions oi the extensions l5 are adapted to pass through the narrowest portions oit the recesses 25.

rlhe term annular is herein to be construed as applying to shapes which are hollow, including circular, ovate and polygonal. ones.

in view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects oi' the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes couid be made in carrying out the above constructions without oeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

l claim:

l. ri`he connection between an earth anchor and its wrench comprising a head on the anchor, means for fastening an anchor rod into said head, an annular recess spaced from and surrounding said means, a mortised bottom in said recess, and tenons at the end of said wrench adapted to lit said mortised bottom.

2. The connection between an earth anchor and its wrench comprising a head on the anchor, means for fastening an anchor rod into said head, a circular recess spaced from and surrounding said means, a mortised bottom in-said recess, and tenons at the end of said wrench adapted to lit said Inortised bottom ior driving purposes, said circular recess engaging such a substantial portion of the circular regions of the wrench that the latter are braced against deformation when the anchor is twisted by the wrench.

8. rlhe connection between an anchor and its tubular wrench comprising a head on the anchor, an annular recess in said head 'for accommodating said tubular wrench, mortised portions in the bottom of the recess and tenons at the end of the wrench adapted to engage said inortised portionsof the head, the annular recess engaging a substantial portion of the completely circular regions ott the wrench so as to brace them againstdei'ormai tion and breakage.

e. The connection between an earth anchor and wrench'comprising an annularly recessed head on the anchor, an annular portion on the .vrench engaging);v said recessed portion, the bottom or the recess andthe end ot the annular portion on the wrench being adapted to effect driving contact.

The connection betweenan earth anchor and its 7rench comprising an annularly re- 

